XN000022-1994-04-20 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20,

1994

THE SAID.

"ALL THIS IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COST RECOVERY. NEVER PAST HAS THIS PRINCIPLE BEEN CHALLENGED BY THE

IN

COMMUNITY,"

SHE

+

11

"IT IS THE LEVEL OF COST RECOVERY WHICH IS CONTENTIOUS AND OFTEN DEBATED.

IS

+

AS REGARDS 'PERCENTAGE SUBSIDY APPROACH" THE SECRETARY SAID IT PROPOSED A RATIONALISATION OF THE EXISTING COST RECOVERY PRINCIPLE FOR PUBLIC HOSPITALS.

AT PRESENT, ALL PATIENTS PAY THE SAME FEE ALTHOUGH THE NATURE OF TREATMENT AS WELL AS THE COST OF PROVIDING EACH TYPE OF SERVICE ARE DIFFERENT.

FROM THE TAXPAYERS' POINT OF VIEW, THIS CANNOT BE RATIONAL; AND FROM THE PATIENTS' POINT OF VIEW, THIS IS DECIDEDLY UNFAIR.

"THUS, IN THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT, WE PROPOSE THAT ALL GENERAL WARD PATIENTS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF THEIR FEES

BASED ON SUBSIDISED,

THE AVERAGE OPERATING COST FOR EACH TYPE OF HOSPITAL.

"THAT IS

OF THE

COST

TO SAY, IT IS A FAIRER IMPLEMENTATION RECOVERY PRINCIPLE FOR EVERY PATIENT TO CONTRIBUTE THE SAME PERCENTAGE ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF HOSPITAL USED.

"FOR EXAMPLE, IN A CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL, THE PATIENT WILL PAY AVERAGE LESS THAN A PATIENT IN AN ACUTE GENERAL HOSPITAL BECAUSE THE OPERATING COST IS LESS."

THE ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE IS NOW STUDYING THE FEE STRUCTURE A FINAL DECISION HAS YET TO BE TAKEN.

AND

TURNING TO "PEGGING FEES TO COSTS", MRS WONG SAID THIS HAD NOT BEEN ADVOCATED ANYWHERE IN THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT.

NOTION

COSTS"

ON

ΤΟ PUT IT

"PEGGING SIMPLY, SHE CONTINUED,

FEES TO IMPLIED THAT EACH GENERAL WARD PATIENT WOULD PAY A FEE CALCULATED THE BASIS OF THE COST OF TREATMENT.

||

"IF SOMEONE RECEIVES EXTENSIVE TREATMENT, SUCH COSTS COULD PROHIBITIVE, SHE SAID.

BE

INDEED

THE

BETWEEN

THE

CONSULTATION DOCUMENT DISTINGUISHES

VARIABLE FLAT FEE PROPOSAL UNDER THE PERCENTAGE SUBSIDY APPROACH AND FEES WHICH COULD ARISE FROM SUCH CONCEPTS AS 'PEGGING FEES TO COSTS'

中間

1

THE SECRETARY STRESSED THAT IN DETERMINING THE WAY FORWARD, THE BE DENIED GOVERNMENT'S PARAMOUNT POLICY REMAINED THAT NOBODY SHOULD ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT THROUGH LACK OF MEANS.

THE

UNDERLYING

PRINCIPLES OF COST RECOVERY,

FAIRNESS TO PATIENTS REMAIN VALID.

WITHIN THESE PRINCIPLES, SHE ADDED, THE

RATIONALITY AND

ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE

WOULD WORK TO DEVELOP IDEAS AND TO STRUCTURE APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF FEE SUBSIDY FOR FUTURE ADOPTION.

/MRS WONG